


Making It Work

by Velocibirb



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Awkward Boners, Bloodplay, Declarations Of Love, F/F, Trans Female Character, Trans!Max, Vampire Bites, Vampire!Max, also Chloe is in therapy and has antidepressants because she's taking care of herself, because I wrote it, but that comes with the vampires, for supporting the PNW with blood and enabling my vampire fics, major blood warning for this one folks, shoutout to BloodWorks Northwest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:21:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23372365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velocibirb/pseuds/Velocibirb
Summary: In all honesty, it was pretty damn easy for Chloe to get used to Max’s new pronouns. It took a lot more effort for her to accept the fact Max was a vampire now.Trans!Vampire!(tranpire?)Max is more than a little thirsty for Chloe, but she's terrified she'll hurt her, drink too much. Chloe, on the other hand, can't stand to see her girlfriend suffering, even if she's frightened of those scarlet eyes and pearly teeth. All things considered, it goes pretty well for the unluckiest punk in Arcadia Bay.
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price
Comments: 6
Kudos: 79





	Making It Work

**Author's Note:**

> Max is trans and these two say "I love you" to one another a lot because that's all I ever write.

In all honesty, it was pretty damn easy for Chloe to get used to Max’s new pronouns. After five years apart, Chloe was more determined than ever not to slip up. She’d worried about it late at night, of course, anxious that she’d do something wrong, pull another classic Chloe Price fuckup and ruin it like the _rest_ of her life and lose her best friend -- who was now her _girlfriend_ \-- all over again. 

Oddly enough, the moment she dreaded never came. So what if Max had barely changed her name? It seemed to fit her better than ever before, the dorky tomboy she’d grown up to be rather than the scrawny shy boy in Chloe’s fading memories. After months of knowing the new Max and a couple more of dating, Chloe eventually realized one night, stoned out of her mind, that she needn’t have worried. Accepting that Max was a girl came to her as easy as breathing.

It took a lot more effort for her to accept the fact Max was a vampire now.

It wasn’t that hard to believe. Chloe’d reached an age where life was weird enough already that she’d just roll with the punches. Vampires were a thing. Cool. Her best friend-turned-girlfriend was a vampire, though? That _seriously_ took some getting used to.

Chloe, admittedly, _had_ been frightened of her, even knowing how much it hurt Max to tell her so. If it weren’t for the therapist Max had eventually badgered her into visiting, she might’ve felt bad about it. _Gotta work on the negative self-talk,_ Chloe remembered. _I’m allowed to have feelings and boundaries._ Still, though, it hadn’t cured the bitter taste in her mouth. Chloe could barely imagine how Max felt: Chloe Price, fearless pirate captain, reckless driver, chronic smoker and ignorer-of-gun-safety, was afraid of her. 

She knew Max didn’t want to hurt her, for fuck’s sake! It wasn’t like Chloe’s fear was _logical_ or anything. When her father had died in a car crash, Chloe thought she’d wind up being a responsible driver, but within weeks of getting her license she’d stopped giving a fuck. If anything, she should be more afraid of guns, considering the umpteen near-misses she’s had at this point, half of them ricochets when it was her own goddamn finger on the trigger. Given her track record, if she was scared of the petite vampire hipster who could barely lay a finger on her, she should cower in fear at the smell of gunpowder like a dog under a table during a thunderstorm. 

Max had given her all to make Chloe feel safe. As much as Chloe appreciated the effort, she couldn’t help but wish she could meet her halfway. The prospect of a movie night with her girlfriend had been intimidating, to say the least, but it had turned out spectacularly. For the whole time they’d been together, Max had been twice as scared of hurting Chloe as Chloe was of getting hurt, too intoxicated by the scent of her blood to get close enough to cuddle with her. Chloe’d seen her in her bloodlust more than once when she’d tried to steal a kiss from her girlfriend; the scarlet eyes, the elongated canines, nostrils flaring at the scent of her.

For their movie night, however, Max had arrived at Chloe’s door well-fed and almost bloated, dozy and full. Picking up from the local blood bank was remarkably simple, it had turned out, easy enough that Chloe wound up giving Max a ride downtown once or twice a month whenever she needed to swing by the pharmacy to pick up her own antidepressants. All things considered, though, their movie night had gone more smoothly than Chloe could’ve hoped for, even though Max’s skin was icy cold to the touch when the two of them cuddled. Max had made a game of trying to put her frigid fingers up against the warmth of Chloe’s belly underneath her shirt, or worse, her toes against Chloe’s bare leg. Even through her clothes, Max was so damn cold that by the time _Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within_ was half over (she still couldn’t recall how Max talked her into _that_ one), Chloe was confident Max could feel her nipples poking through her shirt into Max’s cold-ass back. Considering the alternative to cuddling her chilly girlfriend was Max’s bloodlust, Chloe figured she’d just have to wear a goddamn sweater for once next time.

Neither of them knew quite why Chloe’s blood drove Max crazy so much easier than anybody else. Chloe figured it could be her blood type. She’d never bothered to have it checked, and on the off chance she was O-, a universal donor, she’d share that trait with only 1% of the general population. Max had disagreed, because of _course_ she did. She’d gone off on a long tangent about how the O- blood at the clinic didn’t draw her like Chloe did, how if it _was_ Chloe’s rare blood type, then at least fifty other people in Arcadia Bay should draw her in the same way, and how it was probably just that Chloe was so incredible and sweet and would taste sweet and she should probably shut up. Chloe still hadn’t let her live that down. If Max could still blush, Chloe had no doubt her face would turn beet red at the merest mention of that conversation.

Their relationship had been tentative from the start, to be sure, but they made it work. That’s what love meant, after all.

Then the BloodWorks bus crashed half a block from the Price house.

It couldn’t have gone worse. The bus had swung by Blackwell that day so that the brave “everyday heroes” of Blackwell could give a pint or two, save a life, and get free cookies in the process. Max knew it was coming. Chloe thought it had been smart of her to cut class and come chill in her room that day, away from the fresh-drawn blood and the phlebotomist she was nearly on a first-name basis with. 

But because Chloe was the unluckiest human being this side of the Cascades, the bus _had_ to swerve right into a telephone pole, because whoever the hell was driving had fucking _donated too much_ and forgot about the icy roads _._ The back of the bus hadn’t been secured, and _of fucking course_ all the day’s donations had gone flying out the back and painted the street red.

So now Chloe was stuck in her room with a blood-crazed Max salivating and crying on her bed, overwhelmed at the smell of spilled blood at 5:30 PM on a cold winter night. Chloe couldn’t even take Max home. Wouldn’t be able to hide her glowing red eyes, let alone overpower her and drag her to her truck when Max had that stupid unfair vampire strength. Even if she _could,_ how the hell was she gonna drive in the dark on a half-frozen road with a rowdy vampire sitting to her right?

Great. Just great.

In the back of her mind, Chloe wished she could just get Max to smoke a bowl with her and chill out, but she didn’t know if vampires _could_ even smoke weed, or if a Max under the influence would have even less self-control. In any case, Chloe couldn’t stand seeing Max like this. She whimpered in the corner of the bed, her fangs extended through Chloe’s blankets as if she’d die without something in her mouth.

It was at that moment that Chloe made an executive decision. This had gone on long enough.

“Max,” Chloe said softly, sitting down at the edge of the bed. “Max, you need to drink me.”

Max’s voice was muffled by the fabric in her mouth, but Chloe was almost certain she could make out “I love you.”

“I love you too, but I can’t let you suffer like this.”

“Don’t wanna hurt you,” Max mumbled. She shoved a finger in her mouth, gnawing on it with her fangs. “I- I can’t.”

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Chloe smirked. She hoped she didn’t look as nervous as she felt. “Look, it might even feel good for me. D’ya know how many vampire romance novels there are? There’s gotta be some truth to them, right?”

Max shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. Chloe could make out the red glow of her irises through her eyelids. “What if I can’t stop myself, Chloe? What if I-” Max choked back a sniffle. “What if I take too much? What if I kill you?”

“You’re not gonna kill me, Maxaroni,” Chloe said. She tried to make her voice sound soothing, keep Max’s spirits up with a nickname. “You love me, remember? No way you’re gonna kill me.”

Max whined, burying her face in the pillow. She jumped when the warmth of Chloe’s hand touched against her bare neck, sitting straight up like a frightened cat. Her nostrils flared, and Chloe knew she had the scent of her. An odd sense of pride filled her. Better that Max was crazy over her _girlfriend’s_ blood than the Blackwell shits’ spilled out on the concrete. She had some _gourmet_ fuckin’ blood! Only the best for her girlfriend, and really, what _wasn’t_ Chloe the best at?

Aside from driving. And gun safety. And Smash Bros. And financial planning. And holding down a job. And not dropping out and staying in school, goddamnit, and taking care of her girlfriend in pain-

 _Kind thoughts only._ Chloe took a deep breath. _No more negative self-talk. Max needs me right now._

“Chloe,” Max whimpered. “I _can’t._ I’m so thirsty, I…”

Chloe leaned in, looking her girlfriend in the eye. “Max. Drink me.”

“Fine!” Max cried out, throwing herself back on the mattress. “Just- just go eat something. G-get your blood sugar up, like it’s a donation, or… Or something. Please?”

“You’re _suffering.”_ Chloe fumbled with her jacket, throwing it to the floor. “It hurts to see you like this.” She could already see the impact on Max. Without her jacket, only a band tee and a light tank top lay between Max and her blood behind a thin layer of soft, smooth skin. “It hurts my heart, Max.”

Max opened her mouth as if to reply, then closed it. Her fangs poked out of her mouth, digging into her lips. Soft and pink, Chloe noticed, as she always did. She wanted to feel them press against her neck.

Chloe shed her T-shirt next as she scooted closer to Max across the bed. Max took it from her with a gentle touch that seemed almost reverent. She held the shirt to her face, squeezing her eyes shut. A single tear slipped down her cheek.

“Max, it’s okay.” Chloe put a hand on her back. “You can be a weirdo and sniff my dirty clothes once you’re full.”

Max glowered up at Chloe. If she’d had blood in her circulatory system, Chloe bet she’d blush. “You want me to b-bite you or not?”

“It’ll be easier if you’re a little pissed, right?” Chloe forced a shit-eating grin. Max could probably tell she was scared, smell the sweat on her forehead, but if Max knew, she didn’t show it. She laced her fingers with Max’s. “It can’t be too tough to bite someone you’re mad at.”

“Can’t stay mad at you,” Max mumbled. “Y- you’re sure?”

“Just hold my hand the whole time, ‘kay babe?” Chloe offered her a reassuring squeeze. 

“Promise.” Max pulled her hand away for half a second as she rolled into Chloe’s lap and their palms met again. She rested her cold, clammy forehead against Chloe’s equally clammy forehead. Took a deep breath.

Chloe looped her free arm around Max’s waist. “Doing okay?”

“If I were still alive, I’d be shaking,” Max admitted. “Just… Just trying to stay in control. I’ve never done this before.”

“You’re doing great, sweetie,” Chloe said, chuckling under her breath at her reference, trying and failing to cut the tension in the room. “You’re really good at holding back.”

“I’ve never had fresh blood,” Max whispered. Her brown bangs stuck to the sweat on Chloe’s forehead. “They keep it cold at BloodWorks, but you’re so warm…”

“We both know I’m hot,” Chloe laughed. “Don’t gotta remind me. In fact,” she breathes, “you could even call me a _snack.”_

“That was _awful.”_

Chloe couldn’t keep herself from bursting into laughter at Max’s grimace. “It’s true, though! Or, at least, it’s about to be.”

Max ducked her head. “Chloe…”

Wordlessly, Chloe leaned her head to the side, exposing her neck. She felt her heart pounding in her chest. If she’s lucky (which she never is, but that’s negative self-talk! Forbidden!), it’ll help keep her blood pumping through her veins for Max. Her blood pressure _had_ to be high enough that Max could just nip her neck and drink like she’s a water fountain, right? Surely she wouldn’t need to suck _that_ hard…

Chloe’s breath hitched as Max’s fangs grazed the soft skin of her neck, scraping at her like painted nails kept long. The breath against her throat was cold enough she felt herself break out in goosebumps. Chloe swallowed, feeling the apple of her throat bob. Max was really going to bite her, drink her blood, and Chloe was her all-too-willing prey. She wondered absentmindedly if vampires really did have some sort of magic, a glamour, if Max subconsciously gave off a supernatural alluring aura. Whatever. She was in too deep now to question it.

A squeeze of her hand brought her back to her senses. Even now, with her fangs on Chloe’s throat, Max still had enough self-control to check in? She loved her that much? Despite everything, the entire situation’s absurdity, the frog of fear in Chloe’s throat, she couldn’t help but smile. “Go for it.”

Faster than Chloe can blink, her vision went blurry and the side of her neck erupted in agony.

There was no rush of pleasure to Max’s fangs. No tingle of ecstasy, no warmth rushing through Chloe’s body. She grimaced against the full brunt of the pain, her knuckles white as she gripped at Max’s hand, icy blades cutting into the soft flesh of her neck, her blood burning as Max sucked at her. 

Max’s jaw was tighter than a bear trap, clamped against Chloe with absolutely no indication of letting go. Chloe felt her teeth digging into her, more than just her fangs, blunt incisors digging into soft flesh as Max began to drain her veins. She heard the wet sound of her blood rushing into Max’s mouth, like she was sucking every last drop of juice from an orange peel.

It hurt. It hurt a _lot._ But something coiled in Chloe’s stomach and she didn’t want Max to stop. The thought that she was _food_ for Max, that she was her sustenance, left Chloe’s face flushed hot. She wondered how she tasted. Max drank her, drained her, and it hurt, _god,_ it fucking hurt, but there was no way Chloe would stop her now. Not when she felt just how badly Max craved her, needed her. 

With the way Max pressed up against her as she sucked at her throat, Chloe idly felt Max’s erection against her thigh. It made sense, in a weird way, now that Chloe’s blood was rushing through Max’s body, flush with endorphins and the adrenaline Chloe was half-high on, though that could’ve been blood loss…

Chloe felt her mind growing fuzzy. She pulled her hand from Max’s, pushing her away, but Max didn’t stop. She pinned Chloe down instinctively, as if she didn’t even notice Chloe struggling. Chloe felt the vibrations of Max’s voice as she moaned into her, digging her fangs deeper. Max pressed her body to Chloe’s, her skin oddly warm. It took a moment for Chloe to remember it was the heat of her blood rushing through Max’s veins, warming her chest, her fingertips, the tent in her jeans. Chloe felt her blood dripping down her neck, down Max’s chin, and found herself oddly glad she had the foresight to take her shirt off. 

Chloe’s vision blurred, dark around the edges as the tang of iron filled the room. With another surge of adrenaline, Chloe raised an arm, pushed at Max weakly. The tips of her fingers were tingly. Only then did Chloe realize what she’d gotten herself into. Max was right. She couldn’t control herself. 

Chloe’s last thought before she lost consciousness was that she was too gay to live.

* * *

It took several moments for Chloe to figure out where she was, which was weird because it was just her own room. She’d fallen asleep upside-down on her bed before, facing the wall, but it had never been this disorienting. Her eyelids fluttered as she debated the idea of going back to sleep, but her head was pounding and her mouth was dry. Figuring it’d just get worse if she ignored it, Chloe sat up and stretched her neck, wincing as a sharp pain blossomed along the side.

“Chloe!”

And then it all came back to her.

She whirled around on the bed, her own blue hair whacking her in the face in the process. The room blurred around her and wouldn’t stop spinning until she flopped down on her back, eyes clenched shut. She’d lost a lot of blood.

“Chloe! Oh my god! I- I thought I’d-”

Chloe kicked out by reflex when Max’s hand touched her knee. “Stay back!”

The little gasp Chloe heard from Max nearly tore her heart in two. She pulled herself up on her elbows, looking up towards Max, finding her in an absolutely _wrecked_ state. Her hair was frazzled, curling out sideways from her head like she slept on it, her jeans still tented, and her eyes were filled with tears, the irises as red as the bloodstains on her lips. She moved to cover her mouth, her red-painted lips and pointed canines.

“I- I was gonna hug you,” Max said, her voice barely higher than a whisper. “Chloe, I’m so sorry, I-”

“Headache,” Chloe grumbled. She squinted at the clock. 5:42 PM. She hadn't been out long.

“I tried to check for your pulse, but I- I- even thinking about the blood pumping through your veins…”

Chloe pinched the bridge of her nose. “Water?”

“Huh? Oh. Oh!” In the blink of an eye, Max was gone, the door creaking open in her wake. Vampire speed, Chloe thought, if anything in her head right now could be called thinking. It pounded like a drum full of cotton balls.

Max was back a minute later with a glass of water and the Twizzlers Chloe had hidden away for the next time she got the munchies. If she said anything, Chloe didn’t notice. Too busy guzzling water like she’d never had a drink before. It spilled on her tank top, but she didn’t care. Water didn’t stain. Did water always taste so good after a near-death experience? Was this what drinking her blood had felt like for Max? She felt she understood her a little bit better now. She drank until her cup was empty.

“Sorry I snapped at you,” Chloe said. Her voice was monotone. She knew she didn’t sound sincere, but she couldn’t be assed to emote right now.

“I’m the one who should be apologizing, Chloe,” Max said softly. Chloe couldn’t help but notice how the other girl kept her distance at the other side of the room. “I- I tried to stop, b-but you tasted so _good_ and I- Chloe, I thought I killed you.”

“But‘cha didn’t.” Chloe’s hand brushed along the bitemark on her neck. Still fresh. Red stuck to her fingers. “Max, uh, do you know where the first aid kit is?” The other girl shook her head. “Bathroom. Under the sink.”

Max vanished for a couple seconds before reappearing with a _whoosh,_ the box of medical supplies in her hands. 

“Think you’re okay enough t’ patch me up? I don’t think I’m strong enough.”

Max swallowed visibly. “Y-yeah. Just a band-aid?”

Chloe patted the bed next to her, watching as Max awkwardly crossed the room. “You full?” She leaned her head to the side and brushed her hair out of the way, wincing as a few wiry blue strands came away bloody.

“No,” Max admitted, applying a little neosporin to the biggest band-aid she could find. “But I’m not thirsty anymore.” Chloe winced as the antibiotic lotion stung at her open wound. “Sorry!”

“Chill, Max,” Chloe grumbled. “I’ve survived worse than you, I’m pretty sure. Remember that one time in the junkyard with that bullet that rebounded and-”

“Chloe!” Max squawked. “I- I thought I’d killed you! I’d understand if you never wanted to see me again, after what I did to you-”

“Learn to read the room, bitch,” Chloe said, chuckling to herself under her breath. She held out her bloodied fingers. “Clean ‘em up?”

The bridge of Max’s nose burned pink. “Excuse me?”

“You gave me good aftercare. Have a treat.”

The apple of Max’s throat bobbed. “If- if I taste you again, I think I’m gonna lose it…” She licked her lips absentmindedly, her pupils dilating as she tasted the blood on them. “Oh-ohh…”

“C’mon,” Chloe urged, letting her hand fall into Max’s arms. “Attagirl.” Compared to being bitten, the gentle swipes of Max’s tongue along her fingers felt even better than usual. Max’s mouth was soft and warm, and as she sucked in her soft, velvety cheeks around Chloe’s fingers, Chloe swore she almost heard Max moan. “That good, huh?”

Max blushed an even deeper shade of red, but she didn’t stop, and that was answer enough for Chloe. 

“As weird as it is,” Chloe mused, “kinda hot seeing your lips all bloody. Like messy red lipstick. They were kinda swollen too, like you’d been kissing me.” 

Max hummed around Chloe’s fingers, unable to meet her eyes.

“Besides, looks like I’m not the only one who got excited,” Chloe smirked, raising her eyebrows twice in quick succession. “Tell me, when you feed, do you always get a hard-on or-”

“I can’t help it!” Max pulled away, burying her head in her hands, but Chloe can see the blush going down the back of her neck. She chuckles at the sight. “And… Yeah, it… It does that. Circulation, y-y’know?”

“Kinky, Caulfield.”

Max all but melted into the blankets, an embarrassed keen escaping the back of her throat.

“I kid, I swear.” Chloe patted Max’s back, chuckling. “Just sayin’ maybe if you can learn to control yourself, maybe it’ll be _me_ draining _you_ dry, if you catch my drift.”

“Jesus Christ, Chloe, you’re gonna kill me,” Max mumbled into the pillows. “You’re gonna kill me and I’m already dead.”

 _“Omae wa… Mou shindeiru!”_ Chloe cackled at her own reference loud enough it hurt her ears. “You feelin’ better there, Maxie?”

Max rolled onto her back away from Chloe, her face still pink. “Better than before, at least. I’m not… I’m not gonna lose control like that again.”

“Sick.” Chloe flops back on the bed. “Man, I’m fuckin’ wiped. Cuddle me?”

“Wh- even with my-”

“Fuck’s sake, Max, I don’t care about your boner. You just _ate_ me, girlfriend law demands you cuddle me.”

“Don’t put it that way,” Max scowls, but she snuggles up to Chloe, resting her head on the older girl’s chest.

“If you’re so concerned, lemme be the big spoon.”

“No arguments there.” Max lets out a nervous chuckle. “Just, um, don’t fall asleep on me, okay?”

“I make no promises.” Chloe wrapped her arm around Max’s waist, burying her nose in her hair. It smells like vanilla and iron. “Hold my hand, Maximum Dorkness.”

For the first time, Max’s fingers are warm between Chloe’s. “I just- Chloe, if you fall asleep, I’m scared you won’t ever wake up. And- and before you blow this off with another joke, I just wanna remind you that I was scared I’d hurt you, that I promised to hold your hand, and I just _didn’t,_ and then-”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it.” Chloe squeezed Max’s hand. “Max, I used to be scared of you.”

“I know, that’s why-”

“Now I’m not. I’ve seen the worst you can do, and do you know what you did?”

“I almost killed you, I broke a promise, I-”

“You took care of me right after.” Chloe kissed the back of Max’s head. “You stopped yourself before you drank too much. You think _this_ scares me? Girlie, I was scared of you when I didn’t know if you could control yourself if I got a papercut or something. Now look at you, still not full, cuddling with your tasty, tasty girlfriend. I do taste good, right?”

“Y-yeah. So much better than the cold stuff.” God, Chloe could practically _feel_ Max blush. _My blood must be getting some good mileage in her veins,_ she thought. 

“‘Course I taste good. I’m ‘so incredible and sweet,’ huh?”

“Shut up!” Max wriggled in Chloe’s arms until she could pull away to look her in the eyes. “Chloe, just… Please let me apologize. I hurt you and nothing can change that.”

“I asked for it.” Chloe yawned. “Would you please get back to cuddling me if you feel so guilty about it? That’s how you’re gonna make up for hurting me, okay?”

“If you say so.” Chloe heard the doubt in Max’s voice, but there was resignation there as well. 

Chloe couldn’t help but smile. “And you gotta kiss me. With tongue.”

“Right after I… I haven’t brushed my teeth, or anything.”

“Lemme see if I taste as good as you say?”

Max rolled her eyes. “You’re gonna think it’s gross.”

“Yup. Kiss me anyway.”

Max did. She tasted of iron and hemoglobin and spit, and her mouth was already cooling down as the blood in her body chilled. It was definitely gross, and Chloe wanted to do it again anyways.

“Thank you for the drink,” Max said, snuggling up in front of Chloe once again.

“Mm.” Chloe affirmed. She closed her eyes. “Love you.”

“I love you too.”

  
  



End file.
